Services for
families
We provide a wide range of services to offer young deaf children the best possible start in life. Through all of our services we aim to help these children learn to listen and talk.
We offer education services, online support and summer programmes for families. We also work in partnership to host NHS children’s audiology services.
Our education services change lives
We provide Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ educational services for deaf babies, toddlers and preschoolers at our purpose-built Family Centre in Portsmouth, Hampshire. We also offer regular sessions for children with unaided deafness, and for children with additional and more complex needs.
Having any degree of deafness can significantly affect a child’s ability to communicate. However, with modern technology and appropriate intervention during their early years, most deaf children can – and do – learn to communicate clearly and effectively using spoken language.
Programmes
Baby classes
Weekly classes for babies from birth to around 18 months to help parents nurture early listening and communication
Toddler classes
Classes for toddlers (from around 18 months to 2½ years) to continue developing crucial listening and early speaking skills
Preschool classes
Specialist intervention for young deaf children from 2½ years to 5 years helping prepare them for starting school
Listen! groups
Monthly sessions helping children with temporary or one-sided deafness, Down syndrome or more complex needs
Summer programme
An intensive one-week programme for preschool deaf children (aged 3 to 5 years) and their families
Speech therapy
We offer specialist Speech and Language Therapy services for deaf children up to 16 years.
Audiology services
We have always promoted the early identification and effective treatment of deafness in babies and preschool children as this enables them to benefit from effective technology and appropriate intervention.
We continue to work in close partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust to host hearing baby screening and children’s audiology services at our Test Centre, alongside a satellite service provided by University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service.
Let’s Listen and Talk
Let’s Listen and Talk is a unique online service from The Elizabeth Foundation. It offers reliable and up‑to‑date information, advice and support to parents and professionals caring for babies, toddlers and preschoolers with all degrees of deafness, from birth to 5 years.
We have created Let’s Listen and Talk for families who want to help their child develop listening, spoken language and communication skills during the crucial preschool years, but who are unable to access our services in person. The Let’s Listen and Talk programme is also an invaluable tool for professionals supporting these families.
Alongside online courses, the Let’s Listen and Talk Resource Hub offers an ever-increasing range of evidence-based information and videos.
Ofsted Outstanding
Our education services are rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted:
“Children thrive in this exciting, education environment. There are high expectations for every child and children make excellent progress in their learning and development.”
“Children are incredibly well supported to progress to their next stage of education.”
“Staff expertly develop children’s listening and communication skills. They skilfully plan activities to introduce new language to children.”
“Staff have high ambitions for children and they deliver an exceptionally well-planned curriculum.”
The Elizabeth Foundation is like a huge hug … As soon as we started our journey with you, it was like a weight lifted off our shoulders and suddenly everything became so much easier.
It has been absolutely the most unassumingly inclusive place that our son visits … you saw no barriers only possibilities! You taught our son to listen and to learn and to enjoy both. It remains a place of enduring positivity, comfort and ambition.
A huge thank you for making a difference in our family’s lives. You were there from the very beginning … ensuring that our daughter would have all the support she needs and that we as a family would have all the support that we would need.
Thank you a million times over – for not only being teachers, but friends; for your advice, your shelter, your comfort and for caring. We are going to miss you all so incredibly much, but you have given my daughter the best start in life!
Information resources
Foundations for Communication
Resources looking in detail about specific topics relating to communication
Learning resources
Information on listening, speech and language development for deaf children
BSL videos
British Sign Language videos for key topic words we use in our preschool classes
Relevant policies
We have a wide range of policies and procedures that affect how we provide our education services – ranging from our Admissions and Special Educational Needs Policies to our Complaints and Safeguarding Policies. If you would like to find out more, click below to view these policies: